Max Postage Costs Help?

[MrsWoodsrules]

Okay guys,

I'm about to list a record.

No way am I sending it without full insurance & tracking as its an expensive record.

Which when i checked on Royal Mail they do a full insurance & track for 8.50.

I'm not trying to rip anyone off, will state all this on my listing.

But when I try to upload the auction it states a £4 maximum for that category.

What's does everyone else do when listing an expensive 45's?

Cos i deffo want it insured.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Guest newone]

Okay guys,

I'm about to list a record.

No way am I sending it without full insurance & tracking as its an expensive record.

Which when i checked on Royal Mail they do a full insurance & track for 8.50.

I'm not trying to rip anyone off, will state all this on my listing.

But when I try to upload the auction it states a £4 maximum for that category.

What's does everyone else do when listing an expensive 45's?

Cos i deffo want it insured.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[MrsWoodsrules]

Okay folks,

Think i've sussed it out, just put seller standard rate & list it in my text, think that's the solution.

Seems to be verifying with my GarageSale software anyway.

Cheers

Aid.

[Guest newone]

just add in the description that the cost will be more, most buyers accept this, as they understand, please be aware there was a topic on here about a record that was broken by the post office and they would not pay the insurance out, as the seller have not wrapped in bubble wrap and stated on the mailer fragile do not bend

[MrsWoodsrules]

just add in the description that the cost will be more, most buyers accept this, as they understand, please be aware there was a topic on here about a record that was broken by the post office and they would not pay the insurance out, as the seller have not wrapped in bubble wrap and stated on the mailer fragile do not bend

Cheers Newone, I'll do just that.

Don't worry, loads of bubble wrap & fragile stickers all over, no fear.

Thanks man.

[boba]

Cheers Newone, I'll do just that.

Don't worry, loads of bubble wrap & fragile stickers all over, no fear.

Thanks man.

Make sure the 45 is packed between cardboard and rigid and put the bubble wrap around that, not around the 45 directly. I got a broken record recently from someone who bubble wrapped the 45 and put cardboard around that. They were super nice and just figuring out how to mail 45s. It doesn't make sense to put bubble wrap around something that isn't rigid.

[Pete S]

Problem here is that even if you state that the postage will be higher than £4 in your text, some people pay as soon as the auction ends and pay the minimum £4. When you then tell them that in your description it states that the postage will be higher than £4, they often don't reply. If you then refund their money, they can still leave you a negative. So I just bite the bullet and pay the extra myself.

[davidwapples]

just add the difference to the start price when you list it

[Blunny]

just add the difference to the start price when you list it

Call me synical bugger if you wish but I reckon this is why Ebay have imposed the maximum postal charge. Any seller who adds to the price of the item in this way will undoubtably incur additional charges from Ebay. Either in the initial Listing Fee or the Final Value Fee or both. Crafty buggers Ebay eh?

I suppose the other thing with this is that in an auction, adding extra to the initial starting price doesn't mean the finishing price would be any higher than if it were started lower. So seller loses out again.

[Guest]

Call me synical bugger if you wish but I reckon this is why Ebay have imposed the maximum postal charge. Any seller who adds to the price of the item in this way will undoubtably incur additional charges from Ebay. Either in the initial Listing Fee or the Final Value Fee or both. Crafty buggers Ebay eh?

I suppose the other thing with this is that in an auction, adding extra to the initial starting price doesn't mean the finishing price would be any higher than if it were started lower. So seller loses out again.

No too long ago Ebay wouldnt let you charge postage at all on 45s, a policy which allowed them to rip us off for more commission but they reverted back again after so many complaints.

[Tiberius]

Not sure if this still applies but it was possible to change "Domestic postage" from "Flat:same cost to all buyers" to "Courier:Heavy and bulky items". This means you can specify postage options in the actual body of the listing and the winning bidder can't pay without an invoice (unless you've allowed them to enter your specified postal charges when they come to pay for the item.)

I know you can make the change but I'm not sure if eBay picks it up and blocks you from listing the items such as records which aren't bulky......been a while since I used this method.

Edited March 26, 2012 by tiberius

[boba]

Call me synical bugger if you wish but I reckon this is why Ebay have imposed the maximum postal charge. Any seller who adds to the price of the item in this way will undoubtably incur additional charges from Ebay. Either in the initial Listing Fee or the Final Value Fee or both. Crafty buggers Ebay eh?

ebay actually takes a percentage of the shipping costs now too btw.

I suppose the other thing with this is that in an auction, adding extra to the initial starting price doesn't mean the finishing price would be any higher than if it were started lower. So seller loses out again.

this is a good point, often you will bid the same and shipping is an afterthought (versus bidding so that the total + shipping is what you want to pay). so the seller will lose money. however, I actually bid much higher on seller's auctions that have very cheap shipping because I feel that they're being honest in not wanting to gouge the buyer. I am not saying that upping shipping to the actual cost is gouging the buyer, I am just saying that it's a psychological thing about how high I bid.

i think ebay is trying to encourage people to do free shipping which is why they have this limit.

[Blunny]

ebay actually takes a percentage of the shipping costs now too btw.

No, I hadn't realised this!! Blimey, what with Paypal's chunk out of the amount aswell, it'll be a wonder if there's enough left to actually post the bleeding thing

[MrsWoodsrules]

Yeah, will prob have to bite the bullet if it comes to that.

I've stated clearly about insurance costs in the text, but I can see what you mean if they don't want to pay the extra, they probably won't do.

Won't be the end of the world as it happens, as long as I sell the record not that bothered, but deffo would be if it happened a lot.

Aid.

[boba]

If I'm selling an expensive item I'll often eat the cost of shipping as it's a small percentage of the record. I don't sell on ebay but as a buyer on ebay I'd imagine that makes the seller look more professional (as well as having a professional looking listing), and you can state it in the auction.